


Contrary to what some people think, Captain America is definitely not a Nazi.

by oui_oui_mon_ami



Series: one hundred ways [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, M/M, Pre-Slash, THATS THE TAG I NEED, but maybe not for a while since time and motivation are both Rare Items, idk wibbly wobbly timey wimey shit, it's not really post avengers endgame technically but also it kind of is, kind of??????, this will probably become a series bc i have a Lot of ideas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-05 13:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18829285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oui_oui_mon_ami/pseuds/oui_oui_mon_ami
Summary: ENDGAME SPOILERS BELOW***So thanks to Steve going back to 2012 and messing around, not only does 2012-Steve now know that Bucky is alive but 2012-HYDRA thinks that he's aligned with them. This could turn out very badly. But then again, this could also be the timeline where they get it right.Inspired by sunflowers-and-bucky's tumblr post "100 ways to say 'I love you' without actually saying 'I love you'"





	Contrary to what some people think, Captain America is definitely not a Nazi.

Usually, it’s Cap who finds Tony up at some bizarre hour of the night, running on countless shots of espresso and sheer willpower. So it’s a little disarming for Tony to stumble upon the good Captain hunched over a laptop screen in the dark living room when he emerges from his lab at four in the morning to grab a toastie.

He flicks on the light, causing Cap to jump. “You’ll ruin your eyes staring at that in the darkness,” Tony explains.

“Tony,” Cap sighs, more out of relief than irritation, which is rare. “What are you doing up?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Tony says, shrugging. Then he sees Cap’s expression close off and it clicks. “You’re still hung up about what Loki said, aren’t you?” Cap leans back in his chair. He looks thoroughly exhausted. Physically and mentally. “Geez, Cap, **when’s the last time you slept?** ” Tony tries to pass it off as a joke, but it still comes out sounding too worried. Like he actually cares for the guy. Which, goddammit, he does.

Cap ignores the question. “It’s just… I watched Bucky fall. I watched him… it was real. It happened seventy years ago. But then… how would Loki know about him? I don’t know, I was going to ignore it, but today- wait, is it… safe? To talk about, well…” Cap pulls a face.

“JARVIS, activate blackout mode.”

_“Blackout mode activated.”_

“Nothing leaves this room,” Tony says, sitting next to Cap on the couch. “You can trust me,” he adds when Cap’s expression remains slightly suspicious.

Cap nods slowly. “I know I can, Tony,” he says, which makes Tony feel oddly warm inside. “Okay, so I thought I’d let the whole matter go, but then something really strange happened at SHIELD headquarters today. I was making polite small talk with Sitwell, and it turns out that A: HYDRA is still alive and kicking within SHIELD, and B: the folks over there all think I’m loyal to them.”

Now that surprises Tony. Of course, he’s had suspicions of something fishy going on in SHIELD, ever since his bug had uncovered their plans for Phase Two, as they called it. But HYDRA? He did not see that coming. “But you’re not?” Tony dares to ask.

“Hell no! You think I’d go down with a HYDRA ship in 1945 just to join them seventy years later?”

“Just checking.” But wouldn’t that have been the greatest _fuck you_ ever to his dad? _Remember that guy you kept comparing me to? Saying I’d never be as good as him? Well surprise, Howard, turns out he’s a big fat Nazi. I’d say I win this round._ “Did you set Sitwell straight?”

“I figured it’d be better if I laid low for a while. I don’t know how they managed to get it into their heads that I was on their side, but if I play my cards right I can take them down from the inside. It doesn’t make playing nice with them any easier though.” He grimaces. “I gave my life back then to defeat HYDRA, and now I have to do it again? It doesn’t seem fair. But anyway, Sitwell namedropped a few of the other HYDRA agents. Rumlow, the whole of STRIKE, actually, but most notably? Alexander Pierce.”

“The head of the World Security Council? Holy shit.” Tony was aware that there were several neo-Nazis among the higher-ups of this country, but… holy shit.

“Yeah. And he mentioned a particular weapon Pierce has in his armoury. He said I’d have a particular interest in it. The Winter Soldier. A brainwashed and cryogenically frozen assassin treated with the super-soldier serum Arnim Zola was developing in World War Two. The same serum that was tested on prisoners of war in Europe. Including…”

“Barnes,” Tony finishes. “Cap, that’s a really long shot. Who even knows if Sitwell was telling the truth?”

“He’s getting me all the files tomorrow.”

Tony huffs a laugh. “You sweettalked him into doing that?”

“I can be charming,” Cap says, pouting.

And, damn, isn’t Tony aware of that.

Cap sighs. “Look, I know it’s a pretty tenuous lead, but it’s still a lead. And if there’s a chance what Loki said is true, and if Bucky is being used by HYDRA, then I have to help him. I have to find him.”

“And we will,” Tony says, placing a reassuring hand on Cap’s shoulder.

“Tony, I wasn’t asking for your help. I just wanted someone I could trust with this information.”

“You don’t have to ask. I’m just helping a friend.” And, okay, maybe Tony has his own motive behind helping Cap out, because he heard rumours, nothing concrete, but rumours after his parents’ deaths, and maybe he just wants to know for sure… but he’s not going to let any of that slip just yet.

Cap sighs again. “Do you really think this is all some wild goose chase?” he asks. God, he really does look exhausted.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know. But even if we can’t find Bucky, you’ve still managed to find an entire HYDRA conspiracy hiding inside SHIELD, and if you can take that down, that’s an admirable feat in itself.” Cap nods quietly, still staring impassively at his laptop. “Cap?”

“Hm?”

“Get some sleep. How long have you been up, anyway?”

Cap checks his watch. “Just over twenty-four hours. Which is nothing by your standards.”

Tony snorts. “Okay, let’s strike a deal. We’ll both go to bed now and start this up again tomorrow? Quit worrying enough to get some shut eye.”

Cap nods. “Sounds like a plan. Hey, so you can come up with good ideas.”

Tony scowls at the cheeky grin Cap throws at him. “Very funny.”

Cap stands up, offering Tony a hand. “See you tomorrow?”

Tony takes it. He likes the warmth Cap’s skin radiates. “See you tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> might continue with this?? we'll see sjdsflkjsls
> 
> in the meantime come yell at me on tumblr: sunshine-soprano


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